1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic games and, more specifically, to a system for administering electronic instant win on-line games.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Instant win games, such as those sponsored by state lotteries, often come in the form of xe2x80x9cscratch-and-playxe2x80x9d games, in which an instant win game ticket is sold to a user and the user removes a removable cover from a play area to indicate whether or not the ticket is a xe2x80x9cwinner.xe2x80x9d
One type of instant win game ticket is an on-line instant win game, in which the user fills out a playslip so as to indicate a selection of numbers. The playslip is read via a scanner at the point of sale and a game ticket, including information as to whether or not the user won a prize, is printed and delivered to the user. The game ticket printing usually occurs shortly after the playslip is scanned and is usually part of the same transaction.
Because the game ticket includes information as to whether the game ticket is a xe2x80x9cwinner,xe2x80x9d dishonest clerks sometimes attempt to xe2x80x9cpalmxe2x80x9d a winning game ticket and give the user a substitute game ticket that is not a winner. Although instant win games may use security systems, (e.g., security cameras aimed at the clerks) such systems are not completely reliable and the user (who has the incentive to ensure that he receives the proper ticket) is not provided with a mechanism to verify the correspondence of the game ticket to the playslip.
The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention which, in one aspect, is a method of linking a unique identifier to an instant game ticket. A user is instructed to enter or provide a unique identifier on an identifier entry mechanism. An image of the unique identifier is received or inputted via the identifier entry mechanism. The unique identifier is stored in a computer-readable memory. A representation of the unique identifier and at least one game result is printed on an instant win game ticket. The user is instructed not to accept the instant win game ticket unless the representation of the unique identifier printed thereon corresponds to the unique identifier that the user entered on the identifier entry mechanism.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of linking a playslip to an instant win game ticket. A user is instructed to enter a playslip identifier on a first predetermined area of a playslip. The user may be instructed to mark a plurality of marks on the first predetermined area of the playslip to indicate selection of a sub-set of characters from a set of characters preprinted on the playslip (the sub-set of characters forming the playslip identifier). The playslip is read with a playslip reader. The system determines if the user included a playslip identifier on the first predetermined area of the playslip. If the user included the playslip identifier on the first predetermined area, then the playslip identifier is stored in a computer-readable memory, a representation of the playslip identifier and at least one game result is printed on an instant win game ticket, and the user is instructed not to accept the instant win game ticket unless the representation of the playslip identifier printed thereon corresponds to the playslip identifier that the user entered on the playslip. If the user did not include the playslip identifier on the first predetermined area, then the playslip is rejected from the playslip reader. The user may also be instructed that the instant win game ticket may be redeemed for a prize if at least one of the game results, which are printed as game result characters, matches at least one of the sub-set of characters, selected by the user, that form the playslip identifier.
Another aspect of the invention is an apparatus for generating instant game tickets. The apparatus includes a scanner that is capable of reading information from a playslip, a printer that is capable of printing an instant game ticket, and a computer. The computer is programmed to instruct the scanner to read the playslip and read a playslip identifier on the playslip. If a playslip identifier is detected on the playslip, then the computer instructs the printer to print an instant win game ticket that includes at least one game result and the playslip identifier. If a playslip identifier is not detected on the playslip, then the computer rejects the playslip.
In an alternative embodiment, the apparatus for generating instant game tickets includes a unique identifier entry mechanism, a printer that is capable of printing an instant game ticket, and a computer. The computer is programmed to detect the unique identifier entered on the unique identifier entry mechanism. If a unique identifier is detected, then the computer instructs the printer to print an instant win game ticket that includes at least one game result and the unique identifier. If a unique identifier is not detected or is in an improper format, then the computer will not print the instant win game ticket.
These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings. As would be obvious to one skilled in the art, many variations and modifications of the invention may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.